Character recognition system employing a plurality of character compression transforms

ABSTRACT

A character recognition system, based upon a low-resolution video scanner, in which the binarized video data from sequential vertical scans is laterally related and registered in a twodimensional storage. The data in this storage, a two-dimensional pattern of the character to be recognized, is logically relocated and compacted prior to the application of recognition criteria for the purposes of eliminating the differences in patterns caused by various styles and sizes of the same character; filling data voids resulting from low-density characters; and excluding redundant data derived from heavily imprinted characters. The logical operations (transformations) reduce the patterns to the degree that there is left only that data in each pattern which makes it unique within the array to be recognized, and therefore recognizable by the application of minimum criteria.

States Patent OTHER REFERENCES Demer, llBM Tech. Disclosure Bulletin, OCR Vertical Registration System," Vol. 9, No. 10, Mar. 1967, pp. 1367 1370 Primary Examiner-Maynard R. Wilbur Assistant Examiner-Leo l-l. lBoudreau Attorneys-Hamlin and .Iancin and Paul M. lBrannen ABSTRACT: A character recognition system, based upon a low'resolution video scanner, in which the binarized video data from sequential vertical scans is laterally related and registered in a two-dimensional storage.

The data in this storage, a two-dimensional pattern of the character to be recognized, is logically relocated and compacted prior to the application of recognition criteria for the purposes of eliminating the differences in patterns caused by various styles and sizes of the same character; filling data voids resulting from low-density characters; and excluding redundant data derived from heavily imprinted characters. The logical operations (transformations) reduce the patterns to the degree that there is left only that data in each pattern which makes it unique within the array to be recognized, and therefore recognizable by the application of minimum criteria.

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1. In a character recognition system, the combination comprising a. scanning means for scanning the characters to be recognized and providing binarized video data corresponding to the scanned character, b. a two-dimensional storage matrix comprising a plurality of binary storage elements arranged in columns and rows, said storage matrix being connected to said scanning means to receive and store said binarized video data, c. registration means connected to said storage matrix and said scanning means for aligning said video data in said matrix with respect to the boundaries of said matrix and selected storage elements from which critical characteristics of the data may be extracted, d. transform means connected to said selected storage elements of said matrix for extracting and consolidating said video data located in peripheral areas of said matrix, comprising a plurality of logic elements connected to selected pairs of storage elements in said matrix in peripheral locations of said matrix for combining the video data contained in the associated peripheral storage elements, e. switching means connected to said transform means and said matrix for returning data consolidated by said transform means to a plurality of selected elements in said storage matrix in locations radially inward from the peripheral areas of said storage matrix, and f. logic circuit means connected to said radially inward locations in said matrix for providing outputs indicative of the characters scanned.
 2. A character recognition system as claimed in claim 1, further including a second transform means connected to receive data stored in said matrix in said radially inward locations, comprising a plurality of logic elements connected to selected pairs of storage elements located in said radially inward locations, for combining the video data contained in said storage elements, second switching means connected to said record transform means for returning data consolidated by said second transform means to a second plurality of selected elements in said storage matrix in locations still further radially inward than the location from which said data was combined by said second transform means, and logic circuit means connected to said second plurality of elements for providing outputs indicative of the characters scanned.
 3. A character recognition system as claimed in claim 1, further including registration means comprising first and second counter means connected to said scanning means for relating the position of said video data on a current scan with the position of video data on a prior scan. 